Review: Phoenix FailSafe laptop protection program

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If you have a laptop that actually leaves your desk then you have a potential security issue on your hands. Laptop theft and resulting data/identity theft is a major problem that affects businesses and individuals alike, but luckily some companies are taking action so that preventative measures can be put in place.

A strong foundation is still crucial–keep an eye on your laptop bag and have basic OS-level security in place, but there are other steps people can take to secure their systems. One of these is Phoenix FailSafe, a software solution that allows PC owners to access their computer from anywhere, regardless of who is in control of it. The software gives an internet backdoor to the computer which can be accessed in the case of theft in order to locate the computer, remove files, retrieve data, or disable the system altogether. It’s a SaaS product that ships with select laptops.

The basic structure of FailSafe is pretty simple. It’s a software tool that you install on your computer that, when connected to the internet, gives you control of the system through a website. A web-based dashboard offers you a surprising amount of information while giving you access to files as well as the ability to exert some control over the computer’s data. It is only of use if your computer is missing/stolen so it is not a deterrent (in fact it would be best if the thief does not know you have it installed). For this article the consumer version of the software was used on a Dell 14z laptop.

The software setup needs an internet connection and takes about 10 minutes, though it probably took longer on new 14z because of Dell’s preinstalled bloatware. At one point (around the 90% mark) the notebook started acting very strangely, with the cursor jumping all over and the computer was unusable for a few seconds, but after this everything was back to normal and the software worked. Then you just need to connect to the internet, create an account, and get setup with the web site.

At this point FailSafe will be ready to work on the computer and you will be able to access the system from failsafe.com. Keep in mind though, a clever thief can’t just uninstall the software–they would need to download an uninstaller that is tagged to your specific license through failsafe.com, which requires a login.

If your FailSafe equipped notebook were stolen, the real question is–what can the software do for you? As it turns out, a lot.

At any time the laptop is connected to the internet you can locate it from failsafe.com. The site lets you view a map view of its approximate location. Other information is given as well, including public IP address, local IP, MAC address, ISP, wireless adapter, name of network you are on (SSID), signal strength, and a Google map with location and longitude/latitude. This will go a long way with finding a system (supposing you would ever want to confront the potential thief). That said my first test put the 14z at the corner of 95th Street and Riverside Drive in Manhattan when I was far downtown, so while the other information my be reliable, the map isn’t always.

If you go ahead and report a system as stolen using a form in the dashboard then more options are available to you. The form will take just a few seconds to fill out, but it will enable other functions and it will record information about when the system was last connected and as well as any signals received from it over the last 30 days, along with associated IP addresses. Now you can get at FailSafe’s more serious features–you can disable the laptop, retrieve files, erase files, and view 30 days of activity history. These will be the real value of the service as they will be what protects the data and give you access to files that can’t otherwise be replaced. Of course the system will have to have an internet connection for this to happen, but most internet thefts are simple snatch-and-walk jobs not complex heist where systems are never connected to a network again or where any storage devices are immediately removed.

File retrieval is a major feature to FailSafe, but it’s very much a limited one as well. While you can copy files silently from the laptop, you are limited to just 5MB per file and you only have 25MB of online storage, so you have to delete files from the online dashboard as you retrieve them. You will have to know the path the files as well, which could be difficult if you don’t have an idea of the file structure or exact file names (you’ll probably need to have backup handy for this to be effective).

The file erase command is more effective–it securely erases files using “strong deletion techniques” without informing the user, but giving you a confirmation when files are removed. Even so, you’ll probably just want to disable the computer from the very start. The system is disabled at the BIOS level, making it little more than a paperweight with a keyboard until you choose to enable it. It should be used with caution though as a locked computer cannot be unlocked remotely. You also, obviously, can’t retrieve or delete files from a locked computer, but all your data is safe until you unlock it. If you want to scare the thief a bit you can choose to have the system show a “Stolen Laptop” message on-screen and sound an alarm when a locked system is used. If that doesn’t appeal to you, you can simply display a custom message. None of this has to be done in real-time so all actions can be put on the server as pending until the next time that the stolen laptop is connected.

A test of the protection measures went largely as planned, but hit a few snags. First of all, nothing seems to happen from your end. This is simply a function of how the system works–if the computer isn’t on or connected to the web there will be no real-time response. Second of all, you have to manually enter the file path of the file you want to delete or retrieve, something that is easier said than done. So the easier option, by far, will be disabling the laptop and thus protecting your files. After doing this I booted my “lost” Dell 14z up the way any user–thief or otherwise–would. The system booted straight to Windows Vista and into normal operation (I didn’t have a Windows password set for the sake of this test). I then connected to a new network and in about 10 seconds the system was rebooting itself and sending me to a BIOS-like screen which said “Phoenix FailSafe” and then my custom message, “Geek.com !!!” At this point only a 16-digit numeric key could unlock the computer. After restarting the computer just to see if I could get around the security the same security screen stopped me. I wasn’t able to enter BIOS either. Some time during all this I was sent emails from Phoenix confirming each step.

When I tried to locate the laptop through the FailSafe online dashboard the map didn’t work because Phoenix’s Google Map API key was apparently out of date. This will hopefully be fixed soon, but I could still get the IP and other data.

After this I unlocked the laptop (as if it had been returned/found). I entered the pass key and was back in Windows in a few minutes, as if nothing had happened.

So my security efforts were successful. Or were they? FailSafe doesn’t encrypt the hard drive, so your data is still there, on the disk, theoretically accessible. As for the laptop, that will work with a new disk as well, thanks to BIOS recovery. This limits FailSafe as a enterprise/government level tool, but gives you more protection that you would otherwise have–that is, it’s a compliment to other security measures, not a replacement.

It’s a great option to have if you want to be able to locate or protect a laptop, but given its restrictions FailSafe seems like it is currently something better suited for a protective parent or small business owner. Its locking and recovery features are good (they would be more effective combined with an auto-on mobile broadband account), but not a replacement for laptop security precautions. Of course, with those measures in place (a Windows password, a browser master password, encrypted hard drive, etc.) Phoenix could be the final layer of security to really tie it all together. Some computers will be coming with a year free to give it a try, after that you’ll have to pay, and while it won’t appeal to most consumers it could be a good tool for a subset of buyers, so long as the manufacturers get it installed on the right notebooks (probably business ones instead of netbooks or Dell’s consumer Studio line).

Currently FailSafe is distributed through OEMs on select models, including the Dell 14z notebook and the Samsung Go (N310) netbook. FailSafe is available through the custom checkout when you are buying a 14z, within the Warranty and Service page. It can be added to a warranty package for $99.